Survivors of Iran quake await badly needed aid, 3 days later

People clean away debris in Sarpol-e-Zahab, Iran, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, after a powerful earthquake along the Iran-Iraq border. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani launched an investigation into why government-built housing ordered by his hard-line predecessor collapsed while others withstood a powerful earthquake along the border with Iraq. (Vahid Salemi/Associated Press)

By Associated PressBy Associated PressNovember 15 at 2:54 AM

SARPOL-E-ZAHAB, Iran — Survivors in Iran are awaiting badly needed aid, three days after a powerful earthquake along the Iraq border killed more than 530 people and left thousands injured.

Many in the Kurdish town of Sarpol-e Zahab, home to half the casualties from the temblor, say they still haven’t received sufficient relief and need help to remove the debris so they could try to get to their damaged homes and retrieve some essential belongings.

Reports say more than 12,000 tents have been distributed in the area, though more than 30,000 houses are affected — 15,500 of them completely destroyed. Debris removal is expected to end within the next 10 days.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged late on Tuesday for continued aid ahead of the “cold weather and difficult cold season.”

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